"He forced me off the track" - Harbour chicane caused a stir at Formula E in Monaco

The most heated scenes at Sunday's Formula E race in Monaco took place in the "Nouvelle Chicane" at the exit of the tunnel. The two scenes involving Oliver Rowland were the main talking points. Firstly, the Nissan driver clashed with Nyck de Vries (Mahindra), then with Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Penske). After the race, the drivers reflected on the situations in the heated harbour area.

The first tricky scene occurred on lap 18: Rowland came in Attack Mode and squeezed alongside second-placed de Vries on the outside lane, but de Vries held off. Rowland had to drive straight ahead and cut the chicane short. He waited for the leader Vergne and de Vries and let both of them past before rejoining in third place.

Lap 18/29

A mega defence from de Vries and Rowland had to bail and drive through the chicane 😮‍💨#MonacoEPrix pic.twitter.com/S7BWLsvAo4

- Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 4, 2025

Only one lap later, there was an almost identical situation - only this time with Vergne for first place, as Rowland had passed de Vries in the meantime. Rowland had a slight lead at the start of the braking zone, but Vergne was a little further ahead again at the turn-in. The Frenchman took a tight line, which he probably deserved, and sent Rowland over the kerb. The Nissan driver inevitably cut the chicane again but initially remained in front.

"He forced me off the track", said Rowland shortly after the end of the race on Formula E's TV world feed. Nevertheless, he was urged by his team to let Vergne past again to avoid a possible penalty. Rowland did so, albeit a while later.

All change ⚡😮

A huge battle between de Vries, Rowland, Buemi and Vergne ⚔️#MonacoEPrix pic.twitter.com/0io0oFVDmm

- Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 4, 2025

"Situations like that are 50-50, so I gave the position back," Rowland says. "It is difficult sometimes. But to be honest, finishing first and second here - it doesn't get much better than that," he focusses on what is important to him.

De Vries: Duel in turn 12 decisive for missed podium

His short-cut also had other consequences. As Rowland focussed on Vergne and Sebastien Buemi when accelerating and blocking, de Vries slipped past the leading duo in the left-hand lane. "We were fighting, then I recognised an opportunity and wanted to take it", the Dutchman recalled to e-Formula.news.

De Vries then inevitably drove a bit wide in turn 12, allowing Rowland in Attack Mode to counter directly - which also resulted in a contact between the two. "If I hadn't lost the position against Oliver at the exit of turn 12, it might have been another podium", says de Vries, attributing a greater significance to the scene.

"I regret not staying in the lead because I then lost a lap behind Oliver. That cost me (time) compared to Nick (Cassidy) and (Antonio Felix) da Costa, when they still had 30 seconds Attack Mode or so", explained de Vries. "They were behind me and so they could overtake me." In the end, de Vries finished fifth behind the two of them.

In response to our enquiry as to whether Rowland had possibly given back the position too late, de Vries replied: "I am not a steward. I'm not here to criticise. That's racing. It just wasn't meant to be for us in the end."